Real-Time Monitoring of the Ring-Opening Polymerization of Rac-Lactide With In Situ Attenuated Total Reflectance/Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy With Conduit and Diamond-Composite Sensor Technology
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-15-2004
Department
Polymers and High Performance Materials
Abstract
Polymerization rates were proportional to initial Sn(Oct)(2) concentration at low [Sn(Oct)(2)](0)/[PrOH](0) values, but began to level off at higher values. When [Sn(Oct)(2)](0)/[PrOH](0) was significantly greater than unity, the opposite behavior occurred. Tin(H) alkoxide concentration became limited by the initial PrOH concentration and independent of initial Sn(Oct)(2) concentration. Addition of 2-ethylhexanoic acid caused polymerization rate retardation, without affecting molecular weight. A control polymerization was conducted in the absence of PrOH. The molecular weight of the resulting polymer was consistent with the measured water content (3.7 wt % by Karl Fisher titration) of the as-received Sn(Oct)(2). The polymerization rate in the absence of PrOH was slow, and this suggested that water is less efficient than an alcohol in creating polymerization-active stannyl ether bonds. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Publication Title
Journal of Polymer Science Part A-Polymer Chemistry
Volume
42
Issue
24
First Page
6238
Last Page
6247
Recommended Citation
Messman, J. M.,
Storey, R. F.
(2004). Real-Time Monitoring of the Ring-Opening Polymerization of Rac-Lactide With In Situ Attenuated Total Reflectance/Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy With Conduit and Diamond-Composite Sensor Technology. Journal of Polymer Science Part A-Polymer Chemistry, 42(24), 6238-6247.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/2947